Ammunition round

ABSTRACT

An ammunition round which incorporates a high-low pressure interior ballistics system in a molded plastic case. The round lends itself to more efficient production in that it is inexpensive to produce the lightweight case and assemble the finished round.

United States Patent Gadomski et al.

[451 Aug. 29, 1972 [541 AMMUNITION ROUND [72] Inventors: Walter A. Gadomski, Delran, N.J.;

Bennedetto A. Marziano, Havertown, Pa.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary,' of the Army [22] Filed: March 31, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 24,249

[52] US. Cl. ..102/42 C, 102/40, 102/43 C [51] Int. Cl ..F42b 7/02 [58] Field of Search ..l02/40, 44, 43, 42, 37, 38,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,926,607 3/1960 Muller, Jr. et al. 102/39 3,404,598 10/ 1968 Angelos ..102/44 X 2,872,870 2/1959 Gey ..lO2/39 X 2,869,463 l/l959 McKnight 102/40 Primary Examiner-Robert F. Stahl Attorney-J-larry M. Saragovitz, Edward J. Kelly, Herbert Ber] and S. Dubrofi [57] ABSTRACT An ammunition round which incorporates a high-low pressure interior ballistics system in a molded plastic case. The round lends itself to more efficient production in that it is inexpensive to produce the lightweight case and assemble the finished round.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures AMMUNITION ROUND The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to ammunition rounds, and more particularly, to a round of ammunition having a high-low pressure interior ballistics system.

The manufacturing of the previously employed aluminum cartridge case is relatively complicated and requires large presses for impact extrusion and complicated handling equipment. The number of manufacturers with the capability of making the aluminum cases is limited and the manufacturing processes required substantial case machining and generated large amounts of scrap.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simplified ammunition round having high-low pressure chamber media and which substantially eliminates the foregoing disadvantages inherent with the aluminum case round.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a round of ammunition having increased capability of being mass produced.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred form of ammunition round embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a forward end view of the ammunition round of FIG. 1.

The preferred ammunition round operates within the temperature range of 155F to -65F, has an externally threaded base plug 11 (FIG. 1) carrying a centrally located conventional primer media 12 and rearwardly opening recesses 13 that facilitate assembly and disassembly of the plug 11 upon the high pressure chamber structure 15 which is substantially a U-shaped metallic annulus having recessed and threaded internal and external mouth or lip portions 16, 17 for secured attachment to appropriate mating threads on the base plug and the internally threaded base portion 19 of the plastic case 20. Apertures 21 in the otherwise closed forward or base portion of the metallic chamber 15 place the internal high pressure area 22 within chamber 15 in fluid communication with the low pressure area 23 that surrounds the chamber. For certain types of propellant ignited in area 22, the round can withstand a high pressure of 20,000 psi and a low pressure of 2,000

psi in area 23. The round can withstand a high temperature of F and a low temperature of 65F at such developed pressures.

The plastic case 20 is substantially cylindrical and contains glass fibers (not shown) for increased strength. The forward annular recess 25 in the internal wall of case 20 receives the outwardly directed annular flange 26 of sabot 27 and the peripheral edges of segmented retaining disc 28 over which is crimped the forwardmost extremities 29 (FIGS. 1, 2) of the case sidewall.

A predetermined quantity of buckshot pellets 30 are seated and held in the sabot forwardly opening cup 31 or against the sabot web by the retaining disc 28. Disc 28 has a plurality of segmental portions 32 (FIG. 2) which are defined or formed by the group of diametrically arrang slits 33 that have a common central intersectlon at The shtted or segmental retaining disc chamber defining wall portion with a primer contained base plug secured thereto at a rearward central portion of the round,

a substantially cylindrical case of plastic material threadedly secured to a rearmost peripheral portion of said chamber wall,

said peripheral wall portion being annularly recessed and externally threaded, said plastic case having an inwardly directed annular flanged base portion, said base portion having internal threads mating with said externally threaded peripheral wall portion, said plastic case having an internal forwardmost annular recessed portion,

a pellet containing sabot having outwardly directed flange means seated in said plastic case forward recess, and

a segmented retaining disc overlying the sabot pellets and flange means, said disc seated in the plastic case forward recess and having segmental portions defined by a plurality of centrally intersecting slits. 

1. In an ammunition round having a high-low pressure interior ballistics system including a high pressure chamber defining wall portion with a primer contained base plug secured thereto at a rearward central portion of the round, a substantially cylindrical case of plastic material threadedly secured to a rearmost peripheral portion of said chamber wall, said peripheral wall portion being annularly recessed and externally threaded, said plastic case having an inwardly directed annular flanged base portion, said base portion having internal threads mating with said externally threaded peripheral wall portion, said plastic case having an internal forwardmost annular recessed portion, a pellet containing sabot having outwardly directed flange means seated in said plastic case forward recess, and a segmented retaining disc overlying the sabot pellets and flange means, said disc seated in the plastic case forward recess and having segmental portions defined by a plurality of centrally intersecting slits. 